Latest quotes
page 73

“Who said to me, a foetus in the womb, a puling babe, "You have your life, but on the condition that you thus believe?" No one! Not even God! So gentlemen, I say you have no right to make terms for my life. I tell you then — No! I will not recant.”

Morris West (1916–1999) Australian writer

The Heretic (1968)

“Be Prepared.”

Robert Baden-Powell (1857–1941) lieutenant-general in the British Army, writer, founder and Chief Scout of the Scout Movement

The motto Baden-Powell chose for the Scouting movement (1907)

“Well, well, there are moments when I am wrung by enthusiasm or madness or prophecy like a Greek oracle on a tripod... Everyone suffers here either from fever, or hallucination, or madness, we understand each other like members of the same family.”

Vincent Van Gogh (1853–1890) Dutch post-Impressionist painter (1853-1890)

Quote in his letter to brother Theo, from Arles, France, 3 Febr. 1889; as quoted in Vincent van Gogh, edited by Alfred H. Barr; Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1935 https://www.moma.org/documents/moma_catalogue_1996_300061887.pdf, (letter 576), p 25 <br class="br">1880s, 1889

“It seemed to you perhaps as if the sun shone brighter and everything had acquired a new charm. At any rate, I believe this is always the effect of a serious love and that's a delightful thing.”

Vincent Van Gogh (1853–1890) Dutch post-Impressionist painter (1853-1890)

Quote in his letter tot Theo, from The Hague, Sunday, 18 March 1883; as cited in letter 330 - complete vangoghletters online http://vangoghletters.org/vg/letters/let330/letter.html <br class="br">1880s, 1883

“I think that everything that is really good and beautiful, the inner, moral, spiritual and sublime beauty in men and their works, comes from God, and everything that is bad and evil in the works of men and in men is not from God, and God does not approve of it.
But I cannot help thinking that the best way of knowing God is to love many things. Love this friend, this person, this thing, whatever you like, and you will be on the right road to understanding Him better, that is what I keep telling myself. But you must love with a sublime, genuine, profound sympathy, with devotion, with intelligence, and you must try all the time to understand Him more, better and yet more. That will lead to God, that will lead to an unshakable faith.”

Vincent Van Gogh (1853–1890) Dutch post-Impressionist painter (1853-1890)

1880s, 1880, Letter to Theo (Cuesmes, July 1880)

“I must continue to follow the path I take now. If I do nothing, if I study nothing, if I cease searching, then, woe is me, I am lost. That is how I look at it — keep going, keep going come what may.
But what is your final goal, you may ask. That goal will become clearer, will emerge slowly but surely, much as the rough draught turns into a sketch, and the sketch into a painting through the serious work done on it, through the elaboration of the original vague idea and through the consolidation of the first fleeting and passing thought.”

Vincent Van Gogh (1853–1890) Dutch post-Impressionist painter (1853-1890)

1880s, 1880, Letter to Theo (Cuesmes, July 1880)

“I was a shit when I met you. I still am in lots of ways. But because of you I've had to give up trying to be a dedicated, full-time shit. I couldn't make it, hadn't the strength of character. Which is a pity in a way, because when you fall back into the ranks of the failed shits or amateur shits or incidental shits you start taking on responsibility for other people.”

Kingsley Amis (1922–1995) English novelist, poet, critic, teacher

Ronnie Appleyard to Simon (Simona) Quick in Ch. 4, p. 254
I Want It Now (1968)

“For Wits are treated just like Common Whores;
First they're enjoy'd, and then kickt out of Doors.”

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester (1647–1680) English poet, and peer of the realm

ll. 38-39
A Satire Against Mankind (1679)

“You must teach me a small part of what you know," said Dantes, "if only to prevent your growing weary of me. I can well believe] that so learned a person as yourself would prefer absolute [[solitude to being tormented with the company of one as ignorant and uninformed as myself. If you will only agree to my request, I promise you never to mention another word about escaping.”

Alexandre Dumas book The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 17 http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Count_of_Monte_Cristo/Chapter_17 <br class="br">The Count of Monte Cristo (1845–1846)

“Seems to me, it aint the world that's so bad but what we're doin' to it. And all I'm saying is, see, what a wonderful world it would be if only we'd give it a chance. Love baby, love. That's the secret, yeah. If lots more of us loved each other, we'd solve lots more problems. And then this world would be a gasser. That's wha' ol' Pops keeps saying.”

Louis Armstrong (1901–1971) American jazz trumpeter, composer and singer

Spoken intro to "What a Wonderful World" (1970 version)

“England, as I persuade myself, still contains in it many kings; possesses, as old Rome did, many men not needing "election" to command, but eternally elected for it by the Maker Himself. England's one hope is in these, just now. They are among the silent, I believe; mostly far away from platforms and public palaverings; not speaking forth the image of their nobleness in transitory words, but imprinting it, each on his own little section of the world, in silent facts, in modest valiant actions, that will endure forevermore. They must sit silent no longer. They are summoned to assert themselves; to act forth, and articulately vindicate, in the teeth of howling multitudes, of a world too justly maddened into all manner of delirious clamors, what of wisdom they derive from God.”

Thomas Carlyle book Latter-Day Pamphlets

1850s, Latter-Day Pamphlets (1850), The Present Time (February 1, 1850)

“America's battle is yet to fight; and we, sorrowful though nothing doubting, will wish her strength for it.”

Thomas Carlyle book Latter-Day Pamphlets

1850s, Latter-Day Pamphlets (1850), The Present Time (February 1, 1850)

“Till we know that, what is all our knowledge; how shall we even so much as "detect?”

Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish philosopher, satirical writer, essayist, historian and teacher

For the vulpine sharpness, which considers itself to be knowledge, and "detects" in that fashion, is far mistaken. Dupes indeed are many: but, of all dupes, there is none so fatally situated as he who lives in undue terror of being duped.
1840s, Heroes and Hero-Worship (1840), The Hero As King

“Burns's gifts, expressed in conversation, are the theme of all that ever heard him. All kinds of gifts: from the gracefulest utterances of courtesy, to the highest fire of passionate speech; loud floods of mirth, soft wailings of affection, laconic emphasis, clear piercing insight; all was in him.”

Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish philosopher, satirical writer, essayist, historian and teacher

1840s, Heroes and Hero-Worship (1840), The Hero as Man of Letters

“Asleep in lap of legends old.”

John Keats (1795–1821) English Romantic poet

Stanza 15
Poems (1820), The Eve of St. Agnes

“I'm not Mr. N'Sync, I'm not what your friends think, I'm not "Mr. Friendly", I can be a prick”

Eminem book The Way I Am

Source: Song The Way I Am

“One of the most beautiful declarations of love: i would love to have you in my life forever.”

Prevale (1983) Italian DJ and producer

Original: Una delle più belle dichiarazioni d'amore: mi piacerebbe averti per sempre nella mia vita.
Source: prevale.net

“Time is an excellent medicine to reflect, to understand each other and above all to understand whom to share every day of your life with.”

Prevale (1983) Italian DJ and producer

Original: Il tempo è un'ottima medicina per riflettere, per capirsi e soprattutto per capire con chi condividere ogni giorno della propria vita.
Source: prevale.net

“The warriors that fought for their country, and bled,
Have sunk to their rest; the damp earth is their bed;
No stone tells the place where their ashes repose,
Nor points out the spot from the graves of their foes.

They died in their glory, surrounded by fame,
And Victory's loud trump their death did proclaim;
They are dead; but they live in each Patriot's breast,
And their names are engraven on honor's bright crest.”

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882) American poet

"The Battle of Lovell's Pond," poem first published in the Portland Gazette (November 17, 1820).

“As for the woods' excitement over you
That sends light rustle rushes to their leaves,
Charge that to upstart inexperience.

Where were they all not twenty years ago?
They think too much of having shaded out
A few old pecker-fretted apple trees.”

Robert Frost (1874–1963) American poet

Directive (1947)

Latest quotes page 73

Latest quotes
page 73